What Zane didn't Know
by KaibaGirl17
Summary: Syrus has always looked up to his "big bro" but Zane hasn't exactly been the best brother. Will an accident change that. First GX fic.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Alright, ladies and gentlemen this is my first ever Yu-Gi-Oh GX fanfiction and I hope you all enjoy it, but I refuse to acknowledge any and all flames, **no exceptions whatsoever**.

Disclaimer: I am not Shin Yoshida, Jun Maekawa, Akemi Omode, or Yasuyuki Suzuki, so I have absolutely no claim on Yu-Gi-Oh GX or any of the characters.

...

Zane Truesdale was the student that everyone else wanted to be; big man on campus, top student. Only the best of the best could go against him in a duel. He was fairly good-looking as well and intelligent; yes, Zane Truesdale had it all.

Syrus, Zane's brother who was two years his junior, was the exact opposite. He was a smart boy and he wasn't horrible-looking, but in terms of dueling skill, he wasn't in his brother's league. Syrus was a Slifer Red, the lowest of the low at Duel Academy. Hell, he'd barely managed to pass the entrance exams. Zane had been there and he had not been the least bit impressed by his brother's performance.

Due to their age difference and obvious difference in level of dueling skill, the two Truesdales almost never saw one another but whenever they did, Zane almost never paid much attention to his younger brother.

But what Zane didn't know was that his brother sometimes would look over his deck late at night, time and time again, trying to think of ways to improve it so that he could duel better.

He also had no idea that while he barely paid any attention to his brother, Syrus constantly craved his brother's approval, desperate to prove that he was more than just Zane's wimpy little brother.

...

"No, Syrus," Zane told his brother for the third time.

"Zane, please," Syrus pleaded. "Just listen to-"

"I said no!"

Syrus backed away, his silver eyes filled with shock at the anger in his brother's voice. Zane was always so calm and collected, he almost never lost his temper.

"Zane...I..."

"Syrus, you're fifteen years old, you need to grow up!" Zane snapped. "Do you have any idea how stupid and pitiful you look when you come crying to me every time you're afraid of something? Or when Crowler does or says something to you in class and you start whining about how unfair it is. Well Sy, it may have escaped your notice but life isn't fair."

"Zane, why can't you just lis-" Syrus tried again.

"No!" Zane growled, glaring at his brother. "I've **been** listening and I am sick and tired of hearing the same thing every time."

"It wouldn't kill you to just listen," Syrus was fighting back tears now. "Ever since I got here, you've treated me like I don't even exist and then when you do, you treat me like dirt!"

"That's because you don't belong here!" Zane snapped, his words lashing out like snakes. "Part of why I even came here was to get away from you! But you can't seem to take the hint!"

Syrus backed away. Zane's words had hurt him deeply. He had heard a number of people telling him he didn't belong in Duel Academy, but this was the first time he had heard those words from his older brother. Yes, he had heard him say that he didn't belong at the academy before, but being told that Zane wanted to get away from him...to know that his big brother never wanted him...that actually hurt more than knowing he wasn't wanted at the academy...he wasn't wanted at all...

"Well...if that's the way you feel...then I'll just stay out of your way!" the younger Truesdale snapped, turning and running out of his brother's room before Zane could see the tears that were about to fall from his eyes.

Zane rolled his eyes and shook his head. Part of Syrus's problem was he let his feelings control everything, he never focused. Zane had hoped after coming to Duel Academy that his brother would have at least learned to control his emotions and stay focused.

"Obviously, I was wrong," the teal-haired Truesdale said to himself before going back to his work. He was a top student at the academy, so he had to make sure that his work was as close to perfect as he could make it.

...

Syrus kept running until he reached the docks where Zane sometimes went to think. There he could be alone, with no one to judge him. He could let his injured feelings out without worrying if anyone would mock him for it. No one would ever find him there.

He had no idea how right he was...

...

...

I am leaving a cliffy because I'm evil like that. Feel free to leave reviews.

Next chapter: Syrus has a close call.

Next chapter date: Sunday, May 24th.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here is chapter 2 as promised. Thank you to Firestorm1991 , iloveyugiohGX93, theabridgedkuriboh, Sister of the Crimson Dragon, Kisuna, and Lola for all of the great reviews on chapter 1. And to Higuchimon for the review. Alright, enjoy, everyone.

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh GX or any of the characters. On with the story.

...

"Is Sy okay?!"

Jaden burst through the doors of the infirmary. Alexis and Bastion were already sitting there, waiting.

"Jaden, calm down," Alexis said, standing up and walking over the brunette Slifer.

"How can I calm down when I don't know how Syrus is doing?" Jaden looked worried and frightened, not at all like his normally peppy self.

"Miss Fontaine is looking him over," Alexis said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It was a good thing you found him when you did," Bastion added. "Miss Fontaine said he could have drowned if you hadn't been there."

"I just wish I knew CPR," Jaden hung his head. "It would have helped more if I did...maybe Sy would be okay..."

Alexis hated seeing Jaden like this; he was usually always in a good mood, always smiling, laughing, making jokes. But now, with his mournful and forlorn expression and slumped shoulders, he looked as though Syrus were already dead.

...

"What came over me?" Zane asked himself as he laid on his bed over the coverlet, arms crossed behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling.

He had _never_ yelled at Syrus. Not even when they were kids. So what was that earlier?

Then Alexis had come to him saying that Jaden had found him by the docks where Zane himself often went to be alone and just to think. Syrus had fallen into the water and nearly drowned.

Zane promised himself that later he would visit Syrus when he was stabilized.

' _We need to talk anyway,'_ he thought.

...

...

Next chapter: Jaden confronts Zane.

Next chapter date: Friday, June 5th.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Here is the new chapter as promised. Thank you to Sister of the Crimson Dragon, iloveyugiohGX93, weather741, ZaneEatsTacos, and theabridgedkuriboh for all of the reviews on the previous chapter. Also an additional thanks to ZaneEatsTacos for the additional review on the first chapter. And now, enjoy this update.

Disclaimer: I am still not Shin Yoshida, Jun Maekawa, Akemi Omode, or Yasuyuki Suzuki, so I still do not own Yu-Gi-Oh GX or any of the characters

...

"Come on, Sy," Jaden whispered, squeezing his best friend's limp hand. "Wake up."

"Jaden, you've said that for the past hour," Chumley said. "He'll wake up when he can."

"Chumley's right," Alexis said, placing a gentle hand on Jaden's shoulder. "It'll be okay. I told you before, Miss Fontaine looked him over and says he's going to be alright."

Syrus grunted softly, his eyes shut tightly and his hand jerked.

"Sy?" Jaden turned his attention back to the blue-haired teen lying on the bed.

"Zane..." Syrus murmured, his voice sounding like a weakened croak.

Jaden's normally fully open, cheerful brown eyes narrowed into slits.

"That reminds me," the Slifer Red growled. "Me and Zane have to have a little talk."

"Jaden-" Alexis warned.

Jaden stood up and stormed from the room.

"Jaden!" Alexis hurried after him. "Jaden, stop!"

...

Zane sighed as he laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling. He knew he should be checking on Syrus's condition.

Word often traveled fast at Duel Academy and this was no exception; Syrus had been found by Jaden at the docks. Zane shook his head. He knew that Syrus knew as well as he did that the docks were a place he himself went whenever he needed to think or be alone. From time to time, he could spend hours out there at a time and no one would ever disturb him during that time. It seemed like a very cruel show of irony that Syrus himself seemed to possess the intention of being alone and having no one disturb him. If he had indeed gotten his wish, there was a very good chance that the younger Truesdale brother would have most certainly drowned.

Luckily, Jaden had been there to pull him out of the water before that could happen. But the question still hung over Zane's head like a storm cloud. Why would Syrus go there, knowing he could not swim? Why would he go there, knowing that after dark the waves grew more violent and the current itself much more powerful than during the day.

' _Syrus, why would you do something so stupid?'_ Zane wondered.

Suddenly, the door to his room flew open.

"Zane, I can't believe you!" a voice snarled.

The dark-teal-haired Obelisk Blue student turned to see Jaden Yuki standing in front of him, his normally playful expression replaced with a livid glare.

"I knew you were cold, but I didn't think you were that cold," the younger teen growled. "But Syrus almost drowned and you didn't even come down to the infirmary to see how he was. You're his big brother, how could you be so cold and uncaring?"

"Jaden," the bluenette began.

"No!" the brown-haired fifteen-year-old snapped. "He looked up to you! And you've treated him like he means nothing since the day we got here. Not once have you talked to him unless you absolutely had to. How can you live with yourself?"

"Jaden, listen-" Zane tried again, unsure how he was managing to keep his composure.

"No, **you** listen," Jaden retorted. "Syrus is trying to wake up and I'm going to stay there until he does. You know, like what you _should_ be doing. Some brother you are."

Without another word, the Elemental Hero duelist left the room, slamming the door behind him.

It was then that the third year Obelisk student decided that he should visit Syrus. After all, the boy was his little brother.

...

...

Next chapter: Zane visits Syrus in the infirmary.

Next chapter date: Saturday, June 20th.


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